A Piketon man is heading to prison for a couple years following his guilty pleas on Friday in Highland County Common Pleas Court.
Michael S. Blakeman, 35, pled guilty to violating a protection order, a third-degree felony, and to fourth-degree felony domestic violence. He was sentenced to a total of 24 months in prison.
According to prosecutor Anneka Collins, Blakeman has one drug-related felony conviction and prison term from over a decade ago. She said he is currently facing a felony charge in another county.
Pike County Court records show that this is not the first time the defendant has been charged with domestic violence or violating a protection order.
According to an affidavit filed in September, the charges to which Blakeman pled stem from an incident in which the defendant showed up at the Highland County home of his children’s mother, who had a protection order out of Pike County against Blakeman. The affidavit also states that the victim said she was shoved and hit by Blakeman. In the affidavit the officer stated that evidence of the victim being struck was observed on her face.
In other proceedings, a Bainbridge man who avoided law enforcement for over a year was given another chance by Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss.
Edward Levi Walker, 24, was initially sentenced in October 2013 to community control after pleading guilty to third-degree felony grand theft and fifth-degree felony theft.
Records show that in October 2014 a warrant for his arrest was issued when Walker’s whereabouts became unknown. He was not arrested on that warrant until early February of this year.
He admitted to probation violations last month. In that hearing defense attorney Lee Koogler said Walker had been clean and working, but he had been out of the state. Koogler said the defendant left the state in 2014 after he experienced a loss. He said Walker removed himself from the people and temptations that would not have been conducive to his staying clean. He said Walker had remained “trouble free” while he was away. Walker returned on his own to Ohio to “address issues here,” the attorney said in February.
On Friday, Coss extended Walker’s community control and indicated this was the defendant’s last chance to get things right.
Chase Lee Daugherty, 27, Greenfield, pled guilty to fourth-degree felony domestic violence. He was originally charged with two counts of third-degree felony abduction.
He is scheduled to be sentenced in April following a presentence investigation.
The following people were arraigned on Friday on charges brought by the March session of a Highland County grand jury on Tuesday:
• David Forbes, 33, Felicity, is charged with first-degree felony rape as well as a count of third-degree felony gross sexual imposition. His bond was set at $100,000.
• Donald G. Hostetter, 37, Hillsboro, is charged with third-degree felony unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. The indictment was initially sealed and court records show he was arrested on Wednesday. His bond was set at $20,000.
• Derrick W. Carlisle, 21, Sardinia, is charged with fourth-degree felony domestic violence. His bond was set at $10,000.
• Nicholas Babbs, 34, South Salem, is charged with third-degree felony illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs. His bond was set at $10,000.
• Jason A. Clary, 41, Chillicothe, is charged with third-degree felony illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs. His bond was set at $10,000.
Reach Angela Shepherd at 937-393-3456, ext. 1681, or on Twitter @wordyshepherd.
